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Is it fair to assume that striking ladies of a certain age being followed by cameras are the "Real Housewives" of Washington? Not necessarily. They could just be auditioning for the in-development series (Bravo says it hasn't finalized the cast) or up for a role in some other D.C. reality-show pilot.

Last weekend, lobbyist Edwina Rogersdrew quizzical glances at a polo match on the Mall, wearing a black-and-white headpiece and bright red lipstick -- with cameras in tow. Now two more women are arousing society suspicions, our colleague Amy Argetsinger reports, after swanning through Thursday night's opening party for the Ted Gibson Salon & Hela Spa in Chevy Chase -- also with cameras in tow: McLean doyenne and mom of five Mary Amons and Fauquier polo-winery entrepreneur Michaele Salahi.

Both ladies were coy or silent when previously asked if they had signed on to the series. But another Thursday night partygoer saw a producer type pull Amons and Salahi into a group with celeb stylist Gibson, saying, "Let's get a photo with our housewives." Hmmm.

Also pulled into the group photo: a glamorous blond interior decorator, who seems to be Not From Here. No one said that casting a passel of "real" Washington housewives would be easy . . . but will D.C. need to bring in ringers?

Humbling Life Chapters

At the National Book Festival's opening reception for authors, donors and a Dewey Decimal System's worth of important-but-unfamous bibliophiles, the page-turners became the head-turners. In the Library of Congress's Coolidge Auditorium on Friday night, Virginia-based novelist David Baldacci recounted the time he was upstaged by a marine biologist's live fish -- at his daughter's kindergarten career day.

John Grisham -- Charlottesville resident and festival rookie -- recalled struggling to sell 1,000 copies of "A Time to Kill" in Mississippi in 1989, before "The Firm" made him famous.

Judy Blume recited a letter critical of her writing, sent to her by a 10-year-old boy from Florida: "I'm too young to hear about girls' underwear. My dad says you must be a Democrat."

And Julia Alvarez, author of "How the Garc?a Girls Lost Their Accents," said that when her husband wondered why she was included in this lineup of heavy-hitting authors, she joked that the festival was probably looking for a "wise Latina." "But I better not play that card," she said slyly.

End Notes

Released: Actor Randy Quaid and his wife, Evi, after being arrested for allegedly skipping out on a $10,000 hotel bill in California. Each posted $20,000 bail on Thursday night after several hours behind bars in West Texas, where they were apprehended. A sheriff drove them from the jail to a bank to get the bail money, the Associated Press reports.

Born: A boy, to CBS chief Leslie Moonves and his wife, "The Early Show" co-host Julie Chen, on Thursday morning, AP reports. Charlie Moonves joins his father's three children from a previous marriage . . . A boy, to Fox News Channel anchor Megyn Kelly and husband Douglas Brunt on Friday morning. Edward Yates Brunt -- who will go by Yates -- is the couple's first child.

Quoted: "Next week it's the tango, so get ready. Dance 'til it breaks, Tom." -- Former House majority leader -- and current "Dancing With the Stars" contestant -- Tom DeLay, in an e-mail thanking his supporters Friday. He and dance partner Cheryl Burke advanced to the next round of competition after the ABC show's premiere this week.